Although they hadn't all fasted since sunrise,
members of the University and the local community
shared a meal at sundown with the campus Muslim
community during an event November 10 to raise awareness
of Islam and the observances known as Ramadan.

More than 300 people attended the celebration in
South Campus Ballroom, which included a recitation
from the Quran, prayers facing the setting sun, and
gracious hospitality.

"In celebrating the month of Ramadan, the ninth month
of the Islamic lunar calendar," said Doaa Ammar,
"Muslims fast from food, water, and all desires from
sunrise to sunset, but really what we are doing is
practicing humanity, self-discipline, respect,
submission, obedience to one God, and peace among
ourselves and others." Ammar is a sixth-semester
management information systems major and co-vice
president of the Muslim Students Association, which
organized the event.

"Today, the media has told us that Muslims are
hijackers, terrorists, kidnappers," she said. "But
for those who look beyond the media propaganda that
has shadowed the reputation of Islam, you will find a
religion based on peace and submission to one
Almighty God. A religion that does not differentiate
between its followers in race, color, or ethnicity. A
religion that embraces all people who submit to one
God, and judges them only on the strength of their
faith."

Shaikh Yusuf Estes, National Muslim Chaplain for
American Muslims, was the keynote speaker for the
event. Estes, a former federal prison chaplain,
converted to Islam from Christianity 12 years ago and
now travels nationwide spreading the word about
Islam.

"Estes is about unity and understanding between
people of different faiths and beliefs," said Ammar,
who introduced him.

Estes' theme was moderation in Islam. "Moderation in
all things - this is what Islam teaches," he said.
"It is the basis of Islam."

As part of his work, Estes has founded a website
about Islam, where people can post questions and
comments. Some of these comments are insulting, he
said, but some of those who set out to attack Islam
go on to become Muslims. "That happened to me 12
years ago," he said.

Estes, who comes from Texas, used to be a Christian
preacher until he met a man from Egypt, whom he tried
to convert to Christianity . Instead, the Muslim
converted him to Islam.

"The root of the word Allah is 'illah,' everything
and anything that can be worshiped," he said, "mostly
what people call God.

"The word 'Islam' is probably the most misunderstood
of all words today around the world," he said.

"Islam" comes from the root "salaam" or "silm", he
said, which has five meanings: surrender - to the
commandments of Allah; submission - the acceptance of
Allah's authority; obedience - to Allah's law;
sincerity - acting with a clean heart; and peace.

"These are all part of moderation, fair balance," he
said.

He said the Quran differs from some other holy books
in that it is meant to be recited rather than read.
"Today, there are over nine million human beings who
have totally memorized it cover to cover, and over 80
percent of them are not Arabs and don't speak the
Arabic language," he said.

Although many people in the West are critical of the
status of women in Muslim society, Estes said that
historically, when the religion began, it gave women
some rights they did not previously have, such as the
rights to own property and to inherit.

Addressing the right of a man to marry four wives
under Islamic law - a topic many Westerners consider
anathema - he said the Quran allows a man to marry up
to four wives "only if he can treat them all exactly
equally; otherwise, he can have only one." Estes
commented that few Muslims have more than one wife.

He said there are significant similarities between
some of the major world religions. "Many Christians
and Jews have recognized the same things [as
Muslims]," he said. "It's real sad when two great
bodies of people can't come together and live in
harmony and peace together, because we're all sons of
Adam."